From the wise and mysterious soothsayer with his long grey beard to the deathless necromancer practicing his dark magics in a forgotten dungeon, wizards have captured our imaginations since the earliest days of human storytelling, presenting us with some of our greatest heroes and villains. This book collects the tales of the most interesting, popular, and important spell-casters from history, including such legendary figures as Merlin, Simon Magus, Hermes Trismegistus, Koschei the Deathless, Nicholas Flamel, Dr John Dee, and Johann Georg Faust. Written in modern language, each tale captures the drama, the tragedy, and the wonderment that has ensured that these stories have survived the passing centuries and then examines each tale in its historical, mythological, and thaumaturgic contexts. Lesley McIntee graduated from the University of Manchester in 2011 with an MPhil on the figure of the Magus and the creative artist in German Romanticism. She has a lifelong interest in history of the occult, alchemy, myth and folklore and is currently writing a study of the historical Brothers Grimm, NBC/Universal's Grimm, and popular culture. When not writing, she is Chair of one of the UK's long-running scifi cons, Redemption, organises womens' well-being events, is a Belly and Burlesque dancer, and somehow finds time for a day job in Retail. The housework is starting to back up, though - applications from familiar spirits or apprentices with own broom welcome. Lesley lives in Yorkshire with David and the four cats.

Introduction /The First Wizards: Dedi, Hermes Trismegistus /Wizards of the Ancient World: Simon Magus, Virgil, Geber /Merlin of Camelot /Wizards of the East: Zhang Guo Lao, The Namless Wizard, Koschei the Deathless /Wizards of the Renaissance: Nicholas Flamel, Cornelius Agripa, Paracelsus /Wizards of the Golden Age: Francis Stewart, Dr John Dee, Johann Georg Faust /Wizards of Today /Glossary /Bibliography